Coriano Ridge
4th & 5th September 1944
The 8th Army had broken the Gothic line and was pushing up the Adriatic coast. The 1st Armoured Division had been given the task of taking the Coriano ridge from the Germans. Their right flank was protected by the 1st Canadian Infantry Division.
The scenario depicts part of the attack: elements of the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade are pushing north to break the German front lines and push to the Marano River. Standing in their way is the 303 Regiment 162 (Turkistan) Infanterie Division
Map and Order of Battle
Deployment
The 303 Regiment is deployed dug-in (-3 entrenchments) anywhere north of the pink dotted line. At least one company must be deployed in the BUA south of Basangio. The StuG is not dug in and is deployed in Gheno Petini
The Panther is a reinforcement. Start rolling for turn 2, on a 5-6 (d6) the Panther may enter the board. Roll each turn until it arrives. It must enter from the eastern board edge. On the turn it arrives its moved is halved. It may not enter within LOS of the Allied forces otherwise it must arrived at least 16" from Allied forces.
B Squadron 48th RTR and its attachments start between the river and the road as indicated. They enter the board turn 1
C Squadron 48th RTR and its attachments start within 12" of the south east table edge.
D Company 48th Highlanders is a reinforcement. It may enter anywhere on the southern table edge at the start of turn 2
Brigade HQ can deploy as the Allied player sees fit
Terrain
The board covers a 6' x 4' area if measuring at 1" = 50m. North is towards the top of the map
The gray areas are towns (BUA) they are stone built and give -3 cover to the occupants
The red lines are roads.
The brown hashed lines are low ridges. They break LOS. Any AFV touching one with its front is considered hull down through its front arc. The ridges are too low to see over any intervening terrain
The blue lines are streams. The thinner lines (those with only one line of green dots) are easier to cross than the others. Tracked vehicles and personnel take normal move to cross the thin rivers. (so with a cautious advance they may cross from one bank to the other assuming they start adjacent. With a hasty advance they may cross and move the equivalent of a cautious advance move). The larger rivers (with two lines of green dots) take a full hasty advance move to cross, so a stand must start adjacent to the bank to cross the river. All rivers are crossable with the AVLB.
The green dots are tree lines and they break LOS. Units against the line can fire through and gain -1 cover
The thin rivers actually have a thin line of trees both sides, but this isn't shown on the map - or the table. Any stand adjacent to the stream is also considered adjacent to the trees, even if on the table they are on the other side of the stream. The wider rivers (with two lines of trees) have many trees on their banks, stands must cross the river in order to fire through the trees on the far side
The open ground is farm land, large fields for the most part without borders. However there is the odd bush and tree growing along some field edges so a sparse scattering of linear scrub (basically unkempt hedges) should be present in the open areas on table. This hedge breaks LOS and provides light cover.
Special Rules
The attack started late in the day at 16:00 hrs. Night falls at 20:00 hrs (turn 7). Turn 6 is considered twilight and visibility is restricted to 30", spotting distance are halved. Turn 6 is an hour long. There are 4 night turns of 2 hours each the game finishes at 04:00. Night visibility is 4". Total game length 10 turns
The infantry companies with B & C Squadrons RTR are considered subordinate to the tank HQ. Infantry officers rode in the squadron HQ tanks
Victory Conditions
For a decisive victory the Allies must put at least one tank or tank destroyer over the Marano. It must not be shaken or demoralised at the end of the game
For a Minor victory the Allies must put at least one tank or tank destroyer over the river to the south of the Marano. It must not be shaken or demoralised at the end of the game
If the Allies fail to take their objectives it is a minor German win.
If the Allies fail to take their objectives and the Germans still hold the BUA to the south of Basangio it is a major German win